Dark Allusions To Future’s Past
by CannonFodder
Summary: An entry to the LoK Fanfic Challenge: Two Sarafan lieutenants meet on the dawn of battle to discuss plans to lay siege to Janos Audron's keep, but dark truths come to light...


This is my entry for the Legacy of Kain Fanfiction Challenge.   
  
This answers the challenge:  
  
Fic 1: Any two of the six Sarafan Lieutenants (Raz & the boys as humans) discussing the   
upccoming mission to kill Janos  
  
Must Include: Mention of Moebius, details of the plan  
No Mention of: girlfriends/wives, torridd sex affairs  
  
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**Dark Allusions To Future's Past.....**  
  
  
The early morning light filtered into the room as the soldiers readied their arms and armor. The verbal void was apparent to everyone present, but no one dared speak the words that would break the pressing silence. They knew why they were preparing, knew where they were headed. Their quarry was that of myth and legend, so much so that many thought this day would never come. His exploits were told as threats, haunting the nightmares of children who did not mind their parents, and still haunting the dreams of many of the soldiers present now.   
  
It was not until Lieutenant Rahab had ordered them to suit up that any thought had been given to the rumors to being true. But as the silence now attested, no one here dared question their orders now. If they were to march on the fabled citadel tonight, then they would do so willingly, with heaven's fire in their belly and hearts full of faith to protect them.  
  
Five of the lieutenants, Rahab, Melchiah, Zephon, Dumah and Turel, had already arrived and were conversing in one corner of the chamber. Their discussion seemed heated, one voice would raise above the others every so often, only silenced by the other's admonishment. Not wanting to upset the troops? Perhaps. Discord among the leaders would not do much for morale.  
  
After a moment more, the last lieutenant entered the room. Lieutenant Raziel. It' seemed as if at that moment the sunlight brightened just for him in the way it shone off his polished armor just so. He was the youngest of the lieutenants, younger than many of the troops for that matter, but the way Mobius spoke of him, you would think he was sent by the creator himself to lead the sarafan. The troops reacted to him immediately. He always had the charisma that made him a natural leader. The murmur surrounding his entrance died down when he stood before the men, preparing to speak.  
  
My fellow countrymen, rejoice! For this is the dawn before the greatest victory towards our cause. One of the greatest threats to our holy crusade will be...  
  
Turel looked around the chamber at the troops. They seemed enthralled by Raziel's words, hanging on every sound uttered from his mouth. He looked to the other Lieutenants and they too looked upon Mobius' favored soldier with some respect and mild interest. But Turel was not so easily impressed.   
  
In fact, he was quite put off by the whole blatant display of ego coming from the young Lieutenant. Young indeed. Raziel was nearly twelve years his junior, hardly old enough to wear armor, let alone lead an attack up on an enemy stronghold. Turel had been in the service longer, fought in more battles, lead more troops to victory than this whelp, Yet there Raziel stood, rousing the troops, setting the plans in action. Mobius' pet Sarafan.  
  
Oh how Turel despised him.  
  
He didn't let the others know how deep his disdain ran. No, better that they think him to be as loyal a lapdog as the rest. But inside he fumed. Instead of being rewarded for his years of service with a ranking befitting his stature, Turel found himself the lieutenant with what seemed to be the least amount of seniority. And with no real explanation why. Mobius seemed bent on holding him back at ever turn while at the same time raising the young orphaned knave through the ranks at unprecedented speed.   
  
Turel suspected Raziel had not even come from a nobel stock. He had never been privy to much of Raziel's history, but Turel did know that he had lost his parents early in his childhood. Soon after, he had been taken in and became Lord Mobius' golden child.  
  
The cheering around him drew Turel out of his internal monologue, and he turned an ear to the Sarafan's ending lines.  
  
Mark my words, brothers! This will be the greatest moment in our lives. A thousand years from now, when our hearts have long been still and our bodies nothing but cold, rotten corpses, *this* is the legacy for which we will be remembered. Our souls will reside in the kingdom of heaven at the side of our creator with the knowledge we have fought the battle of the righteous and freed the innocent from the grasp of wickedness!  
  
  
Raziel finished his speech with the flair and arrogance that only he could, and the troops roared back their love for him. The lieutenant basked in their praise, looming over them from the figurative pedestal he stood upon, then sent them off to finish preparations and to form ranks.  
  
Raziel presented a stern expression, but smiled inwardly to himself as he watched the troops as they left the chamber. He had to admit, he had outdone himself. These soldiers had been little more than scared children when he entered the room, afraid of the vampire boogyman that kept them huddled under their covers as children. But now their bellies were filled with righteousness and holyfire, ready to take on the devil himself. And with the stories he had heard of the infamous Janos Audron, the comparison may not have been far from the truth.  
  
Raziel had no love for vampires. Quite the opposite, in fact. He was driven with the desire to see every last one of them dead at the end of his blade. He had only the faintest of memories from his childhood, but he remembered vividly the death of his parents at the hands of those soulless beasts. He was too young to slay the vampires responsible for their deaths, and had found himself roaming his village driven only by his need for vengeance against those hellbeasts. It was only when Lord Mobius found him did he feel he could achieve his need for revenge.  
  
The lingering presence of a lone figure still present in the chamber broke Raziel from his thoughts. Before him stood Turel, who watching him from afar. For a moment, it seemed to Raziel that Turel looked upon him with a repulsive sneer across his face. But Turel's expression turned to that of a delighted grin so quickly, Raziel was sure he had misread his Sarafan brother's feelings in the first place. Raziel stepped down from the raised platform from which he had been speaking and approached the lone soldier. He and Turel had been through much in their many years together. Raziel drew strength from his comrade's years of experience.  
  
After clasping hands in a sign of brotherhood, Raziel took a seat on a stair. Turel paused a moment, then followed suit. Raziel sat silent for a moment, contemplating. Turel made no move to disrupt the young sarafan's thoughts. Raziel was full of pride and arrogance. Turel knew that given time Raziel could not help but parade some bit of information or show of intelligence that would delude the man further into believing the his own hype, the same hype Lord Mobius fed him day in and day out. He had to wait slightly longer than normal, but Raziel did not disappoint.  
  
Lord Mobius has always seen something more in me, he began. It's as if I head down a path, destined for great things - to affect a large change in history. Raziel took a moment to collect his thoughts further. Turel did not put it past him that he was merely adding a dramatic pause for effect alone. I like to think that tonight I will begin my journey down this path, taking my first real steps towards my true destiny.  
  
Turel scoffed silently. How is it exactly you plan on reaching Janos. How can you raise the Sarafan Order's spirits so? He has been able to remain out of our reach for all of these years, what has changed to make this apprehension possible?  
  
Raziel smiled to himself. Turel grimaced at the arrogant expression the young lieutenant wore, but Raziel was too lost in his own marvelous plan to notice. Our agents have informed us of a strange demon rampaging through the countryside killing Sarafan and vampire alike, correct?  
  
Of cause! We have lost many a good man to his chaotic terrorism already, Turel snapped, then withdrew slightly at Raziel's puzzled expression. What of it?  
  
Raziel dismissed Turel's tone and continued, Lord Mobius spoke with me yesterday. He had used the power vested in him as the Time Guardian of the Circle of Nine to divine a few bits of information which have proven to be very useful. While the nature of the demon itself is still a quandary, our sources have confirmed that he is now on a quest to find Janos Audron at this very moment. Lord Mobius has informed me that this demon could possibly succeed where we have failed for many years, and today is the day he will be arriving at the citadel. Lord Mobius has implied that the demon may infact be the key that will allow us to penetrate the Keeps' defenses. It will enter Janos Audron's lair, and we will be just behind it every step of the way.  
  
Turel hmpf'ed. If Lord Mobius had indeed foreseen these events, then the plan would work, for he was never wrong. Turel still resented the fact that Raziel had been deemed the only one worthy of speaking with Mobius. Alas, there was little he could do now. He knew his unfortunate place would always be five steps back in the shadow of the man at his side. And with Lord Mobius continuing to feed Raziel's ego with subtle implications of his future greatness, there was little Turel could do but live with his lot in life.  
  
Was Lord Mobius preparing Raziel for his legendary future? Or was he working to drive a wall between Raziel and the other lieutenants? Perhaps he was attempting to breed hate and contempt between the brothers of the holy blades?  
  
The two Sarafan stood to leave the chamber and join up with their troops. The battle ahead of them would surely be dangerous, and it would, just as surely, live on into legend. Turel would follow Raziel now, he had little choice in this matter. But one day, Raziel's time would come, and Turel would be there to help Raziel fall from that lofty pedestal Mobius had placed the arrogant whelp upon.


End file.
